Control Classroom Chaos… Use Wall Space
Controlling the chaos in your Bible teaching classroom or ministry area isn’t always about controlling the behavior of disruptive children. Often it is an issue of utilizing space in the most efficient ways. If you have space issues, then it often can be helpful to quit focusing on the floor and “lift up thine eyes” to the walls. Wall space is often an overlooked area where lots of teaching supplies and other resources can be stored and utilized. Here are a couple of helpful suggestions…
Dry Erase Marker/White Boards
Most churches provide whiteboards (also called dry erase marker boards) for their teachers and ministers. However, if you do not have a whiteboard, beg, borrow, or steal (just kidding) one ASAP! Even if you must spend your own money for this all important classroom asset, it will be well worth the investment. There will be numerous times when you will want or need to write something on the board or have your kids write or draw on it.
Because many whiteboards are also magnetic, your whiteboard can double as another teaching resource. Important posters or other visual supplements can simply be placed on your board (with small magnets) for one or two sessions and then stored away again for future use. This way resources that you need for only a short time need not be permanently attached to your classroom walls.
In order to make the best use of your whiteboard it is important to make sure your whiteboard supplies are always handy. A whiteboard storage pocket is one of the best ways to make sure you never waste precious teaching time hunting for a dry erase marker or eraser. Keeping a variety of writing utensils in your whiteboard storage pocket can also save time when you just need an extra pen or pencil, too.
Wall Resources
Using wall resources (posters, signs, pictures, etc.) is another great way to save time and space. Instead of lugging out flip posters each time you need to illustrate a point, or show a concept visually, your posters are already displayed and ready for use. The down side to using such teaching aids is finding ways to mount these items without damaging the walls. Poster hanging strips are a great, safe way to mount your wall resources for as long as you need them. This way, posters stay secure for as long as you need them to, and come down easily without destroying your classrooms walls. Adhesive putties also provide security while providing a reusable product that typically can be applied to different posters, again and again.
Controlling classroom chaos isn’t always about controlling behavior. Oftentimes you can manage the chaos simply by managing the room itself and the resources you use to teach.
You can see all of the articles by Sarah on Sunday School Zone.
